Welcome to COPPADES

Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies (COPPADES) is a rural based, non profit, non governmental organization registerd under the Institution Registration Act of the Government of Nepal in the year 1990.

The vision of COPPADES is to contribute positively to the creation of an equitable society in the grassroots as well as to the national level that helps to the realization of social justice.

The mission of COPPADES is to promote organizational activities among women, the poorest and the discriminated groups of people by building up awareness among them and empowering them through organizational activities and economic self dependence.

COPPADES started its activities, initially in 1988, with the financial support of the Student Alumni Association of the World College West, a liberal arts college operating with its home campus in Petaluma, California, USA. The college had its regular study abroad program in Nepal with focus on international development through which students came to Nepal, stayed with Nepali host families and participated in community development activities as part of their study.

COPPADES is currently involved in providing relief and other livelihood support to the April 25, 2015 earthquake hit communities in Lamjung and Gorkha Districts. Initially, immediately after the earthquake COPPADES provided emergency food supplies, blankets and tarpaulin to families in Dudhpokhari, Bichaur, Kolki, Bhalayakharka and Chakratirtha VDCs including others. Following the emergency relief provisions COPPADES is helping the people in building temporary shelter and other agricultural inputs to ensure food scurity to them. These activities are assisted largely by Lutheran world Relief, Give2Asia and others. COPPADES is also continuing its partnership with Lutheran World Relief in the ongoing Climate Smart Agriculture Project (CSA Project) and working in partnership with Lamjung District Development Committee in Local Governance and Community Development Project (LGCDP) and Improved Cook Stove (ICS) projects. Recently COPPADES has signed an agreement with Sajhedari Bikas Project of USAID/PACT in helping more VDCs (Dudhpokhari, Bichaur, Ilampokhari, Kolki, Pyarjung, Gauda, Pachok, Nauthar and Tarkughat VDCs in Lamjung District. The project aims at helping earthquake affacted households in recovering their shelter, preparing themselves from potential future disasters, helping them to maintain small rural infrastructure and recovering their livelihood.

In the past COPPADES has implemented various projects like Revolving Savings Group/Program Against Poverty (RSG/PAP) in collaboration with Trickle Up Program (TUP) , New York USA, Savings and Credit Co-operative (SACCO) promotion project implemented in collaboration with National Feedration of Saving and Credit Cooperatives (NEFSCUN) Strengthened Action on Governance in the Utilization of Natural Resources (SAGUN) with CARE Nepal, Social and Environmental Impact Mitigation Program with CIDA Inc., with LEDCO and Khudi Hydropower Project, and Basic Computer and Information and Communication Technology Project (BCICT) with World Computer Exchange, USA and Computer Aid Internatonal, UK. While most of the projects are implemented within Lamjung District, BCICT Project was implemented in over 42 rural districts across Nepal reaching out to over 600 public schools. COPPADES has also implemented projects in collaboration withAlternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) of the Government of Nepal in the area of energy such as micro hydro, bio-gas plants, Improved Cook Stoves (ICS), solar PV systems installation etc. as part of its community development and environment conservation initiatives.

COPPADES was assisted by Whole Earth Development, an International Organization based in Australia, in its project called "Conservation for Sustanable Rural Livelihood - CSRL" Project. The project was implemented in Pachok and Nauthar VDCs in Lamjung District. COPPADES is collaborating with WWF/Hariyo Ban Program in its Nature Conservation for Sustainable Rural Livelihood (NCSRL) Project implemented in the Chitwan Annapurna Landscape in the Marsyangdi corridor of Lamjung District.

COPPADES worked with Give2Asia USA in its Climate Change Adaptation through Livelihood Improve Improvement (CALIP) Project in Bichour VDC of Lamjung District.